]The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has authorised 20 universities to commence processes for industrial action over alleged failure by the Federal Government and affected state governments to fully implement the 2025 FGN-ASUU Agreement.
The union issued a 14-day ultimatum following a meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC), held at the University of Abuja on August 8 and 9, 2026.
ASUU said the decision was prompted by what it described as delays and inconsistencies in the implementation of agreements reached with the government, warning that failure to resolve the outstanding issues could lead to industrial action.
According to the union, the affected university branches have been directed to engage their respective authorities and report unresolved issues to the appropriate agencies, including security agencies where necessary.
ASUU further directed the affected branches to compile detailed reports on the implementation of the agreement and submit them to the union’s national leadership.
The 14-day ultimatum is expected to expire on August 19, 2026, after which the union could move to shut down academic activities in the affected institutions if its demands remain unresolved.
The latest development has raised concerns among students, parents and other stakeholders in the education sector, who fear that another prolonged university strike could disrupt academic calendars and further affect students’ educational programmes.
ASUU has, however, maintained that the government can avert the looming industrial action by addressing the outstanding issues and fully implementing the 2025 agreement within the stipulated period.
The union’s latest move comes amid renewed tensions over funding, staff welfare, allowances and other commitments contained in the agreement between the Federal Government and university lecturers.
